Swim Workouts: Cycle 2, Week 10

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Breaking Muscle Swimming Workouts are programmed by Jake Shoemaker, an elite athlete in his own right and highly experienced swimming, cross-country running, and triathlon coach.

The swimming workouts are designed for those whose swimming skills are bringing the rest of their game down. If you're a CrossFitter or triathlete, it's no longer acceptable if your swimming isn't up to par.

Swimming can also be used to condition all the systems of the body for endurance without beating it up the way some other modes of exercise can.

Workout Three

Warm-up:

600 as 3x: (100 free smooth, 50 kick build, 50 back relaxed)

2x:

6 x100 @ rest interval :25, :20, :15, :10, :05, :05 - first should be relaxed with technique focus, descend pace of 100s by about 2 seconds per 100 so that 5th and 10th are strong) [goal is to raise heart rate, warm-up muscles, get body prepared for hard main set]

8 x 12.5 sprint, 12.5 SUPER easy with an extra 15 seconds on wall

Main Set:

200 max effort for time; 200 super easy; 15 seconds rest

100 max effort for time (goal for pace to be less than 1 second per 50 slower); 200 super easy; 15 seconds rest

200 max effort for time (goal for pace to be on par with first 200); 100 super easy; 15 seconds rest